France
Capital:
Paris
Official Language: French
Religions:
90% Roman Catholic, 2% Protestant, 1% Jewish and 7% Other
Currency:
Franc = 100 centimes
Placements:
European Ecological
Working
Camps
Map
Background
The French wrote the book on la vie en rose and gave the world
champagne and camembert, de Beauvoir and Debussy, the Tour de France and the
Tour Eiffel. There's a term for their seductive lifestyle - Douce France
(Sweet France) and you'll find yourself using it often.
Although the ubiquity of Levis and Le Big Mac flusters the country's cultural
purists, anything from a year in Provence to a weekend in Paris will explain why
half the world grows dreamy over stalking Cyrano's streets or picnicking
Manet-style sur l'herbe.
Special Events
The French are a festive bunch, with many cities hosting music, dance,
theatre, cinema or art events each year. Rural villages hold fairs and fetes,
which celebrate everything from local saints to agricultural progress.
Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer in Provence is the venue for a colourful gypsy festival
in late May honouring Sarah, patron saint of the gypsies. Enthusiastic singing
and dancing characterise this extravaganza. Prominent national days off are May
Day (1 May), when people trade gifts of muguet (lily of the valley) for
good luck; and Bastille Day (14 July), which is celebrated by throwing
firecrackers at friends. Regional events include the primping and preening prêt
à porter fashion show in Paris (early February); the glittering and often-canned
Cannes Film Festival (mid-May); the International Music Festival in Strasbourg
(first three weeks of June); the mainstream and fringe theatre of the Festival
d'Avignon (mid-July to mid-August) and the Jazz Festival in Nancy (mid-Oct).
Public holidays
1 January - New Year's Day
late March/April -
Easter Sunday & Monday
1 May - May Day
8 May - Victoire 1945
May
(40th day after Easter) - Ascension Thursday
mid-May-mid-June (7th Sunday
after Easter) - Pentecost/Whit Sunday & Whit Monday
14 July - Bastille
Day/National Day
15 August - Assumption Day
1 November - All Saints'
Day
11 November - Remembrance Day
25 December - Christmas
Climate
France has a predominantly temperate climate, with mild winters, except in
mountain areas and the northeast. The Atlantic has a profound impact on the
northwest, where the weather is characterised by high humidity, often violent
westerly winds and lots of rain. France's northeast has a classic continental
climate, with fairly hot summers and cold winters. Midway between the two, the
Paris basin boasts the nation's lowest annual precipitation, but rainfall
patterns are erratic. The southern coastal plains are subject to a pleasant
Mediterranean climate: frost is rare, spring and autumn downpours are sudden but
brief and summer is virtually without rain. The south is also the region of the
mistral, a cold, dry wind that blows down the Rhône Valley for about 100
days a year. Relentless and unforgiving in spring, it is blamed for sending
people into fits of pique.
Travel Info
Air France and scores of other airlines link Paris with every section of the
globe. Other French cities with international air links (mainly to places within
Europe) include Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Strasbourg and Toulouse. In
France, inexpensive flights offered by discount airlines and charter clearing
houses can be booked through many regular travel agents.
If you are doing a lot of travel around Europe, look for discount bus and
train passes, which can be combined with discount airfares.
Buses are slower and less comfortable than trains, but they are cheaper,
especially for people under 26, over 60, teacher and students.
Rail services link France with every country in Europe; schedules are
available from major train stations in France and abroad. You can book tickets
and get information from Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com) up to two months
ahead.
Tickets for ferry travel to/from the UK, Channel Islands and Ireland are
available from most travel agencies in France. In some cases, return fares cost
less than two one-way tickets.
Visas
Nationals of the EU, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Israel do
not need visas to visit France as tourists for up to three months. Except for
the citizens of a handful of other European countries, everyone else must have a
visa.
To apply, you'll need a passport (valid for a period of three months beyond
your departure date from France), a ticket in and out of France, proof of money
and possibly of accommodations, two passport-sized photos and the visa fee in
cash.
Tourist visas cannot be extended except in emergencies (eg medical problems).
You might try calling the Préfecture de Police (tel 01 53 71 51 68;
www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr) for guidance.
Safety
Terrorism
France shares with the rest of Europe a threat from international
terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate and against civilian targets. The
French Government has to date exercised a strong counter terrorism policy. In
July 2005 the French authorities raised their level of security, particularly at
airports and on the railway and metro systems.
A parcel bomb exploded outside the Indonesian Embassy in Paris on 8 October
2004. Previous terrorist incidents in mainland France include the bombing of the
Paris Metro in 1995, and two explosions in Nice in 2003 claimed by the Corsican
nationalist group FLNC.
On Corsica itself, the FLNC have been responsible for a continuing series
of sporadic bomb attacks on public buildings and, in January 2006, holiday
villages and chalets, which were closed for the winter, were targeted. You
should take care, particularly in the town centres and near public buildings,
and be wary of unattended packages.
In early 2004, a previously unknown group calling themselves the AZF
claimed to have laid a number of explosive devices on French railway tracks
timed to detonate at various future dates. Two devices were discovered and both
disarmed by the French police. The group reappeared in May 2005, with threats of
further (unspecified) action. However, the French authorities have not issued
any specific advice against using public transport in France.
Crime
Sensible precautions should be taken to protect against street and car
crime. Try to avoid carrying passports, credit cards, travel documents and money
together in handbags or pockets. In Paris, at Charles de Gaulle airport or at
the Gare du Nord railway station, you should protect your baggage against theft
and beware of pickpockets. Thieves and pickpockets also operate on the Paris
Metro and RER (suburban) lines especially RER line B, which serves Charles de
Gaulle and Orly airports and the Gare du Nord. Thefts have also occurred at Nice
Airport, particularly at the car rental car parks where bags have been snatched
as drivers have been loading luggage into hire cars. Pedestrians should beware
of bag snatchers operating both on foot and from motorcycles. You should be
particularly careful in and around shopping centres and car parks.
Mugging incidents have occurred at isolated rest areas on some French
motorways, usually those without petrol stations and cafeterias. There is also a
continuing problem of burglaries taking place during the night whilst travellers
have been asleep in their caravans, mobile homes or other vehicles. In a number
of these cases, victims had first been rendered unconscious by the thieves using
gas. Try to avoid parking in isolated or dark areas of camping grounds or car
parks, and consider installing an alarm in your caravan or mobile home.
In Calais British registered cars may be targeted by thieves, both while
parked and on the move (eg by thieves flagging down drivers for a lift or
indicating that the vehicle has a flat tyre). Valuables, including tobacco and
alcohol, should not be left unattended in parked cars and they should be kept
out of sight at all times.
If you intend to visit the Commonwealth War Grave cemeteries in northern
France, many of which are in isolated areas, you are advised not leave handbags
or other valuables in parked cars as they can be the target for thieves.
In the South of France, particularly in the Marseille to Menton area, you
are advised to keep car doors locked and windows closed when driving as it is
common for bags to be snatched from the front passenger seat, often when the
vehicle is stationary at traffic lights and usually by individuals on
motorbikes. If you decide to stop in such circumstances, be extremely wary of
anyone offering help, ensure that car keys are not left in the ignition and that
the vehicle doors are locked while you investigate the alleged problem.
In Corsica you are advised to avoid leaving your vehicles unattended by the
roadside especially on coastal/beach roads, as thefts are frequent. Armed
robbery can occur but such incidents are rare.
Road Travel
You should take particular care when driving in France as driving
regulations and customs are different from those in the United Kingdom. Roads in
France, particularly motorways, are of an excellent standard but speed limits
are higher than in the United Kingdom and the accident rate is greater. Many
drivers undertake long journeys in, or through, France. Care should be taken to
plan journeys and take sufficient breaks; a minimum break of 15 minutes after
every two hours of driving is recommended.
The RAC or AA can advise on special requirements for driving in France
while further advice, in French, on safety and on potential traffic black spots
during the holiday seasons is available on the French Government-run website:
http://www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr. The minimum
age for driving a car in France is 18 years old. 17 year-old British drivers
with valid British licences are not permitted to drive a car. Anyone who
contravenes this law may be fined and the vehicle impounded.
Radar detectors are illegal in France whether in use or not. If you should
be caught with such equipment in your vehicle, you are liable to a prison
sentence, a fine, confiscation of the device and the vehicle. You should
therefore ensure radar detectors are removed from your vehicle before commencing
any journey to France.
Almost all roads in Corsica are mountainous and narrow, with numerous
bends. You should be extra vigilant and beware of wandering animals. The
majority of road accidents occur during the tourist season.
Both the Mont Blanc and Frejus road tunnels, between France and Italy are
open but the restrictions introduced following the fires in 1999 and 2005
respectively continue to be applied to HGVs. These can be summarised as
follows:
Mont Blanc: height restricted to 4.7m; minimum speed 50 km/h;
maximum speed 70 km/h. Consult:
www.tunnelmb.com or by telephone on
number 00 33 (0)45 05 55 500.
Fréjus: Vehicles of more than 3.5t are subject to 1-hour alternate
traffic flows starting at 08:00 leaving France. Special regulations apply to
vehicles carrying dangerous loads. Details can be obtained from: http://www.
tunneldufrejus.com
Severe penalties exist for all road traffic infringements and are enforced.
These include imprisonment and a heavy fine for causing death whilst over the
alcohol limit or under the influence of drugs and a similar penalty for causing
death by dangerous or negligent driving. The French police strictly apply
speeding restrictions and drivers exceeding speed limits face heavy on-the-spot
fines. Drivers who break French driving laws can also have their driving
licences confiscated by French Police; and the driver concerned prevented from
continuing to drive the vehicle. This could lead to the vehicle being
temporarily impounded if no alternative driver with a valid licence is
available.
British road hauliers should be aware that French authorities are imposing
fines on hauliers who have differing sets of documents aboard the vehicle. Road
hauliers should contact the Road Hauliers Association for further information
(and see "Know Before You Go" "International Road Haulage on the FCO website).
It is now compulsory for drivers of vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes to
fasten their seat belts in France (except in vehicles which did not have seat
belts fitted when they were manufactured). Offenders face a fine of 135
Euros.
There are a number of periods during the year, including all Sundays and
public holidays when heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes are banned from
driving on roads in France. Road hauliers should contact the Road Hauliers
Association, the Freight Transport Association or the Department of Transport
for further information.
Health
The Form E111 is no longer valid. You should obtain a European Health
Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is available free of
charge through most United Kingdom post offices or through the UK Department of
Health via their website at:
www.dh.gov.uk or by telephoning
0800 555 7777 and obtaining their leaflet "Health Advice for Travellers". The
EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to
emergency medical treatment on the same terms as French nationals. You will not
be covered for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of
a non-urgent nature. We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel
and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and
that your policy covers you for the activities you want to
undertake.
Rabies cases occasionally occur in France, and you should
therefore avoid contact with cats and dogs.
Avian Influenza (Bird flu)
On 18 February 2006, the French authorities confirmed its first case of
Avian Influenza in a wild duck in the Ain department north of Lyon. On 25
February 2006 the French authorities confirmed an outbreak in a commercial
turkey flock in the same area. Further cases have since been confirmed, in the
same area in several wild birds and swans. A swan found dead on 28 February
2006, in Saint Mitres-les-remparts in the départment of Bouches-de-Rhone has
also tested positive with the virus. All of the affected birds have been culled
and precautionary measures increased in the areas concerned. No human infections
or deaths have been reported.
The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low. As a
precaution you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and
other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild
birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked..
Injections required
None
